A week of reflection ‘spend more time thinking about what we have achieved, rather than dwelling on what he haven’t YET achieved…’, enjoying the sun and zipping down slides...
When the sun comes out you have to enjoy it and our three-weekly trip to North Wales, to spend time with family, was an amazing day out.
We travelled from Rhyl to Llanelli and the boats were bobbing, the sea was an amazing shade of blue and the sun kissed our skin…the next day it began raining!
It’s been another week of constrasts. Writing a post for the upcoming promotion of Ceri’s journey: Angels for the Romantic Novelists’ Association (going live 5 July) I talked about research. In truth I’ve been researching this series for a long time. It involved attending two Gayatri mantra chanting sessions, which I cover in detail in one of the chapters. It was an amazing experience and I hope readers will find it fascinating too. I’ve also posted Chapter 1 and the pre-release blurb on the website, so at long last I really feel this three-part story (each novella of around 30,000 words in length) is nearly there. My newest ‘book baby’. It is surreal as I work on part 2 – Truth, spending my spare hours thinking about angels and going through the notes that I’ve made over a period of three years. 30,000 words might not sound like much to write, but it’s the background that takes the time.
It was a busy weekend as both the monthly LLm Newsletter (where I interviewed fabulous author Sue Moorcroft) and my own personal ‘interior design tips’ newsletter had to be written and sent out.
This edition is all about mirror fun – inside and out!
Construction site chaos!
Kiddie time took up three days, plus another day for the trip to North Wales with three little ones, so at the moment my life is full of crawling around on the floor or visiting play centres. My weekly charge, little Bill, will be three in August and in September he starts pre-school. So I’m trying to make the most of every single moment we have. We tried out a new play centre – Play Space – and I have to say I scared myself silly on the slides. I have no problem climbing up cargo nets and getting to the top level on these complicated and well-designed play activities. But the slides, which all the kids were loving and zipping down, made my stomach roll over. At one point little Bill had just pushed me into the slide tunnel (that is a shute and curves) saying ‘You go first, then Bill’. I found myself sprawling on the play mat at the end of the shute thinking ‘I seriously cannot do that again…’ After three hours I was shattered but Bill still had energy to burn, so home it was for more fun and games playing with the garage and a construction site dilemma…
If you haven’t read The Quintessential Gemini yet, there’s a copy up for grabs in swag bag #4, in the Myaddictionisreading summer giveaway the promo runs through to the 31 May 2013.
It was a week of mixed news from friends – some sad, some unfortunate and one or two bright moments. But it did make me think that life is a constant struggle for everyone, no matter what they do or their personal situation. We all have problems, they are just all very different. I read Emma Calin’s post ‘Thank you for the music’ and, as usual, Emma thinx hit the nail on the head: “This is often a sharp elbowed world and sometimes for me the struggle seems too hollow to compete”. Poignant and I know a couple of people who have recently given up on their dream because they felt the battle was too hard. Check out Emmas post:
I’m also reading the first completed manuscript by a lady who attended the Loveahappyending Summer Audience event held last year. She decided to go away and begin writing again, after a few previous attempts that didn’t go through to conclusion! It’s a great story and we are getting our heads together to take it to the next stage. It’s thrilling to think that the event the LLm team held in Tetbury, in the UK, inspired others to follow their dream!
So this week I thought I’d end with something upon which to ponder. Maybe sometimes we have to be a little more realistic in our dreams, but we should NEVER give up. Only make adjustments as we travel along life’s path and spend more time thinking about what we have achieved, rather than dwelling on what he haven’t YET achieved
Thanks for dropping by, a writer’s life is often a lonely one…
My family think I’m crazy and I have to admit they could be right! It’s been a long time since I actually had a day off – I mean a day where I could laze and relax. It’s either family stuff – looking after toddlers, cleaning and ironing etc and/or work, seven days a week. I took two hours ‘off’ last Sunday to do some weeding and then sit to have a coffee with Lawrence. It’s very pleasant sitting in our courtyard garden and we haven’t had many really sunny, summery days yet. But what did I do? Well, I sat still for about two minutes. I then proceeded to pull out small weeds from between the old brick flooring beneath our feet. The courtyard is built around an old cider press, which is now a feature garden well, and the circle of raised brick is where the donkeys would have trodden day in, day out. It is both sad and beautiful at the same time. The point is, my husband wasn’t too impressed by the fact that I couldn’t even sit and chill for just half an hour. I guess you could say that I need the holiday we have coming up in June. I know there are many women out there like myself who are juggling so many balls (and a writer’s life is a rather compulsive one) it’s often hard to have ‘down’ time. So roll on holidays and my computer time will be two hours a day and no more … I’m counting down – 17 days to go!
It’s been a week of website updates and maintenance, packed inboxes, last-round edits for my next book and writing posts. I’ve also been tied up finalising some new book covers as my brand comes together. Touched by The Light is a fun romance, as well as making the reader wonder about what happens when you follow the light into the beyond. Now it has a cover that reflects the humour in this story – and the model is perfect for Dan, the guy whose love-life Mya tries to fix from the other side.
My ‘big’ news is that I can now reveal the cover for Ceri’s journey: Angels in advance of a pre-release promotional tour that will begin on June 17, 2013! The release date is July 6th, 2013…
It’s a series of 3 novellas: each around 30,000 words in length and a leisurely afternoon/evening read. Truth and Decisions (parts 2 and 3) will be released later this year. The story has required a lot of research, including attending two Gayatri mantra workshops for part 1, Angels. I’ve also read extensively about angels and various theories, plus I actually do believe they exist. I wanted this story to take the imagination that one step further and consider how it might all work if this life isn’t the sole purpose of our being. However, I didn’t want to make it ‘other-worldly’ fantasy. Instead (for those who already believe there is life after death – and I realise that in itself is a huge leap of faith) thinking how it MIGHT actually work in practice. Angels introduces the main characters and Ceri’s dilemma; part 2 Truth explores life on two planes; part 3 Decisions is about Ceri having to make choices in order to move forward. The heart of the trilogy is still a love story; Ceri wants to find someone to love who can live with the fact that she sees angels… everywhere.
Mr Tiggs has had an unsettled week. We’ve had rain interspersed with some beautiful sunshine and he hates the rain! The birds also drive him mad, as he’s a stalker. He’s constantly on edge, jumping up every time there’s a flurry of bird movement. But I also think he can sense that we are ‘on the move’ and with people coming to view the cottage it is disruptive.
My stars have been spot on again and telling me that May begins quietly and builds to a frenzy. Well, the ‘quiet’ bit was probably while I was doing the edits for Angels, as it’s a time of pure concentration and you can’t allow yourself to be pulled away. It’s very intense and I tend to shut everything out whilst I’m in the zone. Now, after thrashing out the cover design and with book promo material to draft, posts to write etc, it is crazy. I follow two different astrologers and whilst they both have very different styles, the information they give me says more or less the same thing. Why do I take such great comfort in reading my horoscope?
I suppose it’s because I’ve always had this incredibly strong drive for whatever I do in life. But there is a down side. I truly believe that there are times when I make things happen that don’t fall into line with the path the universe has mapped out for me. I exercise that ‘free will’ we have all been granted. Of course I know when I’m taking a detour – and that’s all it is, I believe we all return to the path that has been determined for us – because it feels like I’m trying to make the impossible happen. It becomes merely a little meander off the beaten track. But how do you know whether that’s the case, or it’s simply a life lesson you are here to learn? Maybe it’s meant to be hard because that’s the whole point! I’ll leave you pondering that thought. As I often say, “sometimes it feels like trying to push jelly uphill…” On the other hand, nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, it requires effort.
The stars tell me the future is bright, so I guess I’m not straying too far from the path… thanks for dropping by!
Last week’s post took a detour, not least because life has been hectic but I also wanted to share the love (and good karma) I was feeling. Yes, my next book is almost ready for promotion and the release date is set for July 6th, 2013. Of course no writer achieves this single-handedly, hence the ‘love’ I was feeling from some great friends who read early drafts and give me feedback. Also a fab bunch of reviewers who have joined in to share some pre-release info in June! There’s more to come on that in the next few weeks, but today I’d like to introduce you to Ceri:
That brings me onto my next topic. I spend a third of my week having fun with a very active and bright two and a half-year old. It helps keep me sane and also gives me a break from the keyboard, but it is tiring and reminds me that young mums work VERY hard. When it comes to sending out positive karma I like to think I’m sensitive to other people and am understanding when strangers have ‘off days’. You never know the reason behind the mood. However, one rather elderly man decided to park next to me in the supermarket car park as I was about to get out. Of course there were no child parking bays free. He parked so close that I could barely get my passenger door open enough to lean in, let alone lift out a toddler or even my handbag. I smiled at him and tapped on his window (I was sandwiched in the nine inch space between the two cars, shuffling sideways and I couldn’t bend my legs to drop to eye level. If he’d moved forward two inches he would have hit off my wing mirror). He wound his window down and I said ‘Would you mind just reversing up so I can get the little one out. I’ll only be a moment.’ What followed was a string of verbal abuse. He shot backwards out of the space and parked elsewhere. The reality of the situation was that he wouldn’t have been unable to get out of his own car anyway, as he was rather portly. On reflection I decided he became upset because he realised that and felt embarrassed. Note to self: if no child bay is available, drive around until you can find somewhere to park where someone else can’t restrict the passenger door!
Whether it was sheer luck, friends, a happy reader or karma – a message on Facebook alerted me to the fact that The Quintessential Gemini has been nominated for the eFestival of Words Best of the Independent eBook Awards 2013. I was thrilled, but when I saw the other nominees it was a bit of a ‘gulp’ moment! Having recently interviewed the incredibly successful Steena Holmes for Lifestyle emag and adoring Talli Roland, who is a role model for so many new authors, I felt over-awed! Just to have been nominated is an incredible ‘first’ for me as a writer and a HUGE thank you to the person who put my novel forward. Good luck to all of the nominees in the next round!
Best Chick Lit/Women’s Literature
When Horses Had Wings by Diana Estill You Wish… by Terry Tyler Secrets & Lies by Tracy James Jones The Quintessential Gemini by Linn B Halton Live from the Road by P.C. Zick Aunt Sally & More by Flick Merauld The Pollyanna Plan by Talli Roland Fall of The Misanthrope by Louise Wise Finding Emma by Steena Holmes A Different Witch by Debora Geary Angel by Mary E. Kingsley
The Quintessential Gemini now proudly sports its’ new badge and I have to say that it was such an amazing boost. Having recently celebrated the fourth anniversary of sitting down to write the first word of my debut novel, Touched By The Light, this was a very proud moment!
If that wasn’t enough excitement, the novel I released in January 2013, Never Alone,has also been floating in and out of the top 100 Paranormal romance charts on Amazon.co.uk with the highest entry at no. 51 and briefly entered the Amazon.com top 100 at 98, too! Again, an author friend emailed me to let me know and suggested I put it on ‘special’ to keep the impetus rolling. It’s advice like that which makes all the different to someone who is still very new. And yet at times I feel like I have been doing this forever, simply because it’s been four years of working every single day that I don’t have a family commitment, and often working late into the night. I’m not complaining, it’s par for the course, but when something does ‘come right’ the thrill is unbelievable. So if you are one of the people who downloaded Never Alone recently – virtual hugs to you! The support from friends, family and readers has spread the word and I’m touched. It’s on special at 77p/$1.20 until the end of May, or longer if demand is there – click here for the buy links: https://linnbhalton.co.uk/never-alone-promotion/
Another ‘first’ that delighted me was a visit to WG2E – a website I’ve followed and admired greatly for quite a while. D.D. Scott is one of the founders and a celebrated author in her own right. Click on the screen short to read the interview in full
At the moment my head is full of angels; Ceri’s journey: Angels has required a lot of research and I’m already working on part 2 of this three part series, Ceri’s journey: Truth. The thought processes required are quite intense. I do find it difficult at times to break off from a long explanation about how angels administer their good works, in order to clean the house ready for a viewing! Whilst it is a story about the pursuit of love, the subject matter will make readers think about how this life might slot into a much bigger picture. So I’ll leave you this week with one thought:
Until next week, this is one Gemini signing out to get on with some work… Thanks for dropping by and sharing my personal journey.
It’s true, that old saying ‘love makes the world go around‘ and if you are a people watcher, then every single day of your life you will be reminded about the good things in life. I’m not talking newspaper headlines, news round-up ‘doom and gloom’ but the happy, lovely things that happen every second of every day that go unrecorded, unreported and sometimes unnoticed. I’ve always celebrated those special moments in the form of poetry – some are happy, some are sad – but then that’s what love is all about. After an exceptionally busy week, I thought I’d take a little ‘time out’ to chill and share a few of the poems I’ve written that were inspired by ‘special’ moments… I’ll be back next week with a packed diary!
Lazy Days
I love the way the morning light begins to fill the room
and birdsong calls me from my dreams, reluctantly and sleepily
to greet a brand new day
As I let the gentle light behind closed lids
let go my dreams, I hear the sounds
of lazy morning happenings
I feel the warmth and hear the rustle of the breeze
and the new day calls out to me with promises of golden rays
but still I linger here awhile
next to you, just because I can
Sorry
He looked into my eyes
A deep, lingering stare
Searching hopefully
But the wind
Played with my hair
Whipping strands
Like a manic blow-dry
I tossed my head
Trying to free my face
And let him see
What he was looking for
But the wind was playful
Took his cap
And launched it
High into the air
We ran, along the beach
Chasing as it cart-wheeled
On and on and watched it
Suddenly caught and lifted up
Out of reach
Across the water
We stood awkwardly
The wind noisy and strong
Pushing against us
Wind and water raging
Their own little war
Of foamy white frenzy
Tasting the salt spray
Stinging, hair-whipped cheeks
And I shivered
He laughed and put his arm
Around my shoulders
I could feel the heat
Radiating out from his body
And he squeezed me
Lovingly, and gently steered me
Towards home
All about Love
Explain to me please
About me
Tell me why I love you
Why I will surrender
To a life with you
When a fresh new world
Welcomes me
Do I deserve you ?
Do you deserve me ?
We swap our feelings
OK. Fair’s fair
I give you my ideas
You give me your mind’s view
Which is often funny
That’s why I love you
A Happy Tear
A tear falls
Slowly and woefully
Carefully rounded
Perfectly clear
A tear for you
Created in sadness
But for the beauty of it
Its perfection
Its precious ten-second life
As it trickles slowly
Down my cheek
This was created
In honour of you
In this moment
Of my extreme happiness
This is the gift
I give to you
Hollow Love
The light was dim her head was bowed What would she do now ?
Her heavy heart her aching head but still the thought of him was there
No matter just how hard she tried the passion stirring there inside would rear it’s head and like a beast well up – no peace.
He held me close I thought I’d die I had no breath to breath a sigh
Only a warmth that, like a smile was suddenly there
She turned away and wiped a tear
His presence always seemed so real and yet the world around her coldly showed the lie she lived
Please hold me step into my life catch me
I’m falling deep into this world that I feel I need
There’s no solution this she knows
The ache will fade as time goes by and if it doesn’t she must try to go on, any way
He held me once in dreams, I know the realness made me feel complete it was enough
Our lives touched then and we became as one like lovers ought to be
Hold me !
On the Curving Path of Love
Feel the wind as it blows by
Gently whipping fallen leaves
Doesn’t it remind you love
Of the autumn you and I
Wandered all over this city
Held in starry-eyed attraction
Seeing not the dirt and squalor
Seeing only bright lights and laughter
Oh it’s strange how time has altered
All those dreams that we once shared
Now you’re gone and I feel nothing
What would have been
I ask myself
If we had stayed and lived our dreams
If life had bound us to each other Sharing all that life could give us Was not meant, will never be And once again we find ourselves
My mid-week to mid-week diary is a mess of notes and scribbles… yes, another frenetic week. Three days with little ones meant some LONG work days to keep everything ticking over, including three manic inboxes. I think in total I spend one full working day each week replying to emails, adding SEO to guest posts on LLm and loading Tweet schedules for @loveahappyend, @LAHEBookshelf and @LinnBHalton. My daily astrological forecasts reflected as much, so it wasn’t exactly a surprise, but I was hoping it was going to be the week to allow me a little breathing space. No.
A hair dilemma saw me in the hairdressers for longer than usual – another interruption to my working week! When your other half passes a comment on the colour, it’s time to take heed. ‘It’s rather brown,’ he said awkwardly. As in ‘it was blond in August last year…’ and yes, it has taken a walk on the dark side lately, although not intentionally so. It was highlighting time. Personally I don’t mind what colour it is and the reason it’s getting longer is quite simply because I don’t have time to fuss with it. Drying it takes ages, but I can tie it back or coil it up on top my head when I’m bathing kiddies… and when I’m home alone writing, the only person I can scare on a bad hair day is the postman. He’s a gentleman and would simply avert his eyes… Ladies, isn’t hair a pain?
There’s another reason why I was in marital listening mode this week – today is Lawrence’s birthday. So happy birthday honey – I‘ll keep you for another year if you behave and hope you like your present! Spouses of writers are patient, long-suffering folk and I take my hat off to them. Lawrence is a sweetie and I wouldn’t really swap him in for a newer model, but between you and me it doesn’t pay to let them know that! It keeps them on their toes. Every relationship is about give and take though, hence the pending house move is really about Lawrence having his own project again and something that fires his imagination. I’ll be ‘supervising’ of course, will help with the paint-through and roll up my sleeves to ensure whatever project we end up with looks the best it can interior-wise. In the meantime, I have plenty to keep me busy!
When I have really packed weeks with work and my personal life conflicting, it means long days. Then when I do finally get into bed my head is buzzing, so it’s reach for the Kindle Fire and log into Pinterest.
This week was a particularly intensive Pinterest week and my ‘Perfectly Purple’ and ‘All White’ boards were fun to do. Sadly I’m even organised on Pinterest – I create my new boards as ‘secret’ ones and only unveil them when I feel they represent the theme I had in mind. I realise that’s probably a bit OTT. It was the reaction to my newsletter bedroom beautifying tips (see below) and ‘arranging the pillows’ to stand up, to add to the luxury feel of a double-duvet heaven, that made me feel the need to prove I can be disorganised too. So my handbag was a total mess yesterday, so much so I couldn’t close it. Little Bill was not very impressed when his sunglasses appeared to ‘disappear’ into a bottomless pit. He’s very wise for a two and a half year old and I had the stare of disapproval. I was proud of myself though, but sorted it this morning before breakfast. Well, one does have standards… He did remind me (yet again) that life should be full of silly moments too. When I tried to explain that big people weren’t supposed to use the tunnel slides at the park, he took no notice and insisted I go first and then he followed. It was fun the first half a dozen times…
Talking of handbags… it was also a week of writing lots of articles for other people’s websites – including an interesting one for Mandy Baggot’s website about – yes – what we keep in our bags. I don’t think you’ll be too surprised when that aires and you see the contents of mine… the latest one is a smart Jasper Conran satchel.
Steena HolmesKim Nash
I interviewed best-selling author Steena Holmes and amazing book reviewer Kim Nash for the LLm monthly Newsletter. Also going live was my interview onLLm with Donna Trinder, a most inspiring lady who is a busy mum and blogger with an eye to getting her first manuscript written. She battles with MS and the article is a testament to her positivity and zest for life. It’s a real treat to be inspired!
I also launched my own newsletter ‘Livin’ and lovin’ life 101’. It’s mainly about how to style your home on a budget, time-saving ideas and decorating tips. I freely admit to being borderline OCD and totally fussy when it comes to details – my scatter cushions have to be on the right angle, and everything has to have a place so it can be put away easily. That said, the amount of time I spend keeping the house clean is minimal, simply because it’s organised. I have some great tips lined up for future newsletters that will go out once a month and can’t wait to write no. 2!
Byre Cottage, our current home, photographs so well. The pics I’ve used for the newsletter illustrate the topics I will be talking about in the future. Photo 1 above is storage in our guest bedroom; photo 2 is a large metal candle holder in the sitting room (love ironwork); photo 3 is a great example of a slim-line storage cabinet in our main bathroom; photo 4 is how to pack a lot into a little, in the kitchen of our bijou barn conversion.
Dan, (originally from Connecticut), is an editor, writer, and psychologist. He currently works at a national magazine, Empirical, in northern California. He has written over 10 novels, several screenplays, and is working on a graphic novel. A philosopher and martial artist, his days are filled with writing and training.
Weekends are work days for me if there’s nothing going on with the family. Lawrence and I don’t do lazing around, we are always productive in our leisure time. So Saturday morning up with the lark for a couple of hours online before popping out to our favourite restaurant in Nailsworth – Oldstone – for a posh brunch. We met up with old neighbours, which was lovely, and the conversation was dominated by our shock decision to find another home renovation project. Why are you moving? is the question everyone is asking. It’s one that’s been asked many times before, but this time we really did think we’d stay for longer. Then we dashed back home a little later than planned, so I could to get some more work done. Before I knew it, it was 12.30am Sunday morning before I turned the laptop off. What didn’t help was having only four and a half hours sleep though, as we had to get up at 5am for the long trip to Rhyl, in North Wales. It was a grey day, bitingly cold wind but we arrived in time to accompany little Charlie to Rugby Tots. I was the one doing most of the running following 2 year old Lily and grabbing her from amidst the scrum of 4 year olds. Baby Joe is only seven months and he sat quietly and watched – clearly thinking ‘wait until I’m out there’. It is a long journey for a day but well worth it. There are some fabulous sights on the way up and I stopped to take a few pictures.
A near-miss with a seagull…
On my non-babysitting days I usually carry on working through the evening after Lawrence and I have dinner. Two evenings this week were busy though. There was a mad dash to the Dunelm store in Gloucester to check out blinds for my brother’s nearly –completed renovation. I chose them a while back but needed to see them close up to check the colour and quality. Buying things online, unseen, is a risk. Window treatments are so important in a home and I wasn’t disappointed. I also checked the ‘flock of birds’ metal wall hanging is still available as it will look perfect over his cast-iron inset fire in the sitting room of his cottage. In North Wales I managed to find the perfect duvet cover for his master bedroom, so I think all the interior things are now sorted. I just have to buy some large candles for the metal candle holders I’ve lent him, so he’s down to that final snagging list on the general redecoration. I’ll be taking a few photos when it’s finished and sharing them on Pinterest. He’s done an amazing job!
The Arlingham Love My Books club met last Wednesday and we gathered in the Red Lion, our village pub. We usually meet in the Church hall but the flower arranging ladies were having a session. So over a glass of something refreshing we had an interesting chat and exchange of views about classic stories we DIDN’T like. It was great fun as we had a new member too. Which classic tales did I choose? War and Peace (we were made to study it at school, at an age when I found the war scenes too gory and stomach-turning and felt it was too heavy) and Gone With The Wind. Really? Yes. Well, I hate an ‘open’ ending and even the author, Margaret Mitchell, admitted she had no idea what happened next.
Well, I’m feeling rather tired after writing up my week and work calls … thanks for dropping in. Believe it or not, this is my year of working SMARTER not HARDER….
Another week that flew by, leaving me wondering ‘where did it go?’ Three lovely babysitting days meant extra fun, which included a dowsing from a hose pipe; also time spent catching up after taking the day off last week to go to the LBF. I hadn’t fully caught up before the weekend was upon me again and it was manic! Not least because the moving bug has arrived…
Whilst we absolutely love Byre Cottage, our converted cow shed and hayloft, it is now finished. For Lawrence that means boredom. So once again our heads are full of plans. It might also be time to start thinking about that French holiday home we’ve been promising ourselves. Saturday found us up at the crack of dawn, me jumping online to set up Tweets for the fab Brook Cottage Books giveaway weekend that included two of my books. Barely time to answer a few emails, then jumping in the car for the hour-long drive to view some properties in and around the Forest of Dean. You’ve guessed it – we fell in love with a barn conversion that needs a LOT of TLC and immediately rang our estate agents to bring forward putting ours on the market, to Monday. Another unexpected thing to add to the ‘to do’ list – ready the house for photos!
We had a quick bite to eat in a lovely pub we found in Littledean between viewings. It served traditional English pub grub. Late afternoon we headed to Radstock, nr Bath (heading in the opposite direction to home and about a two-hour drive due to traffic and a motorway diversion) for an important delivery.
Love metalwork…
I have a lot of decorators’ pieces in storage – ornaments and metal objects like candle holders etc that I’ve used in the past when dressing houses. It’s quite a large haul and includes several ranges of china to display on kitchen dressers etc. Most of it is country style or shabby chic, that’s the style I specialised in when I was designing interiors. My brother’s renovation project is going on the market soon and so we had to deliver one desk and several crates of bits and pieces. The sofas and furniture we chose together last week had arrived and everything looked wonderful. The oak mirrors looked amazing in place and transformed three of the rooms. The kitchen has a huge mirror on one wall and a smaller one above the worktops on the opposite side of the room. It doubles the space and the brand-new country kitchen looks stunning. A large mirror in the lounge adds light and there’s also one large mirror above the bed head as a feature. Only roman blinds and bedding to source now, and once everything is ‘set up’ it will look fabulous. He’s done a great job and it’s a beautiful cottage.
It was then a case of racing home to Arlingham in Gloucestershire (another hour and a half journey) after a day of stop-start travel. Quickly grab something to eat, then prepare and load the Twitter schedules for the three websites for the following day. A quick check on JB at Brook Cottage Books and load more Tweets for day two of the awesome giveaway. A trawl of the inboxes meant I spotted a few urgent emails and then before I knew it, it was ten o’clock.
Straight to bed as it was another early start on Sunday with babysitting fun after we drove into Bristol to pick up our little charge. It was chilly, but sunny, and I’d forgotten that if you give a two and a half year old a hosepipe to water the new plants… It wasn’t intentional, well, at first! He simply turned around to talk to me and it was one coldddd shower that sent me running off shrieking! He then turned to talk to Lawrence and we both had to run away as he then decided it was a fun game. I had to fold the hosepipe in two and say ‘oh, we’ve run out of water!’ to end that game pretty fast.
The day included one serious derailment on the Thomas the Tank line, which called for heavy lifting gear. Aside from that it was another fun day.
A quick bath and bed for a tired boy and then waiting for Mama and Dada to come home from a friend’s wedding, before yet more motorway closures due to roadworks lengthened my journey back. I arrived home at 11pm to find Lawrence was asleep, so I quickly loaded the Twitter schedules for Monday and dropped into bed.
However, my head was spinning. I now had to get up early Monday morning to clean the house and get it ready for the estate agents to photograph. I also had a HUGE backlog of emails and a massive pile of ironing. So up with the lark again, ironing done, house cleaned, quick soak in the bath and calm myself in readiness to meet the lady from Perry Bishop Estate agency. Whilst the photos were being taken, I climbed onto the well in the garden and cut back the ivy, then did some weeding … I’m not good at whiling away time for the sake of it! In between I managed to dive onto the internet to sort more emails and a few problems. It would be so nice to have an admin person to do that so I could concentrate on website development, but unfortunately the websites are non-profit making and there is no income. It is a shame though, as it’s frustrating sometimes when life is busy and I just can’t get around to the ‘to do’ list. Importantly I had to tie up the author interview for the next edition of the LLm Newsletter and also the reviewer. Having sorted that I felt a bit calmer, but then it was time to think of feeding Lawrence and getting the next day’s Tweet schedules sorted.
The photo used for the cover of The Restaurant @ The Mill
It was also a week where I dropped two balls … it was bound to happen with so much going on, but in both instances lovely friends bailed me out! Aside from that, wearing my author’s hat I wrote three posts for forthcoming guest features about The Restaurant @ The Mill. Once you’ve written more than a couple of books it can seem like a lot of water has gone under the bridge (or in this case, under the mill…) since you wrote it. Writing those articles brought it all back and I felt a strange sense of nostalgia. With each book I’ve written I’ve enjoyed the time spent in the special little world that is created when you write a novel. Characters who become friends, and then are gone. However, it was an emotionally tough week for me…
The truth is that whilst Saturday 20 April 2013 saw the start of a special promo to celebrate the four-year anniversary of the day I began writing my debut novel, it was also four years since my treasured mum passed away. She died at the end of March and it was whilst I was still home sorting out her things I began writing. I did have some tearful moments last week, and think that was why I dropped a ball or two, my head was all over the place. I do know she’s with me and whilst I still miss her every waking day, you learn to live with the inevitable. But anniversaries bring back that longing; needing to throw my arms around her and give her a hug. Instead I talked to her a lot; more than usual – and she got me through the week and out the other side.
My week was spent in a spin for so many different reasons. Sadness, excitement, fab fun with a cold shower… I’m blessed and I was meant to have a busy week with little time to dwell, for a reason. I really hope your week was an exciting one and that you found time to do something that made you feel energised and positive. Life is what you make it and there’s never a dull moment in our house!
If you are interested in interior design tips, I’ll be included some in my once-a-month newsletter starting at the end of April 2013, thanks for joining me today.
PS For anyone fascinated by “coincidences” – as I was drafting this piece I was sitting across from the kitchen at my son’s house. Little Bill was napping and I was working fast. Just as I finished writing about my mum and wiping away a tear, the electric kettle suddenly switched itself on. I went into the kitchen to turn it off and flicked it a few times to see if it was loose. It wasn’t, in fact it was quite stiff, needed a firm pressure to push it down….
ebooks will each be on sale for 77p/$1.18p on Amazon until the end of April
I’ve met some wonderful fellow writers on my journey. People who have helped and inspired me, people I have helped in return. But for me it’s the army of book reviewers that have astounded me. Before I began marketing my novels I had no idea about the online world of books. It was a huge learning curve. Once I had my presence on Amazon and Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter, I was in awe of the hours of work fabulous book reviewers put into their websites and blogs. They work tirelessly reading and reviewing. Without those reviews new authors like myself would never get noticed. All of the reviews I post here on my website have been written by people who were kind enough to take time out after reading one of my books to tell the world about it. It’s humbling.
Four years ago my dream was to see one of my manuscripts as a printed book and to have a complete stranger read one of my stories and feel they had been able to escape into it for a while. In the same way that I have done myself over the years, curling up with a good book and letting the author take me to another place.
So a HUGE thank you to those fabulous readers who take the time to post a review. I’ve valued each and every one and really appreciate the feedback. What it has allowed me to do it gauge how well I’m doing and Twitter conversations with readers have influenced what I’m writing now. Including a sequel to The Quintessential Gemini, after two readers expressed their desire to know ‘what happened next?’ Connecting with readers is such a positive experience and for that I’m very grateful – it’s what makes me feel like I’ve achieved exactly what I set out to do. So a HUGE thanks to every single person who has read one of my stories, you’ve made my dream come true!
A big ‘hug’ too, to the fabulous team at Sapphire Star Publishing who have now published two of my books – The Quintessential Gemini and The Restaurant @ The Mill. You’ve taught me such a lot in the year we’ve been together and your support has been amazing!
Another CRAZY week for me with hardly time to draw breath, not least some thoughts about moving house… and the excitement of that thought is quite a buzz, but first:
A trip to the London Book Fair meant a fab day out with friends and fellow authors Mandy Baggot (who is also with Sapphire Star Publishing) and Sue Fortin. Thrilled to meet up with fabulous authors Sue Moorcroft, Christina Courtenay and Henriette Gyland for a quick chat and a welcome sit down after visiting the Choc Lit stand.
Sue Fortin and Mel Sherratt
Attended some great talks, including a fun and informative one with Mel Sherratt and Tim Cooke, who talked about their self-publishing success with Amazon KDP.
Helen Hart, Silverwood Books
A fun, although tiring, day – included meeting up with Helen Hart on the Silverwood Books stand and admiring WWII fiction author Harvey Black’s new covers. Another brief rest and a cuppa to put stickers on our books for the ‘Books On the Underground’ scheme, the brainchild of Hollie Belton. These trademark stickers tell recipients to take the books donated and read them at home, then put them back on the tube to spread the reading love.
Myself with Sue Fortin and Mandy Baggot!Stickers strategically placed and ready…
Fellow Sapphire Star Publishing author Dana Mason handed me The Sunshine Award, a lovely sunny flower that bloggers give to other bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere”. She is one amazing and talented lady and I was thrilled to ‘receive’ my flower badge. Visit Dana’s wonderful websitehttp://danamasonromance.com/the-sunshine-award/.So now I have to answer a few questions:
Favorite Color: Green – light green, dark green, pastel, vibrant … you get the message! Favorite Animal: My cat, Mr Tiggs of course! He’d be very upset if I didn’t nominate him. Favorite Number: Five. Fives and multiples always feel comforting, although no. 13 is my lucky number. Favorite Non-alcoholic Drink: Apple juice, or any juice to be honest. Facebook or Twitter: I stumble around blindly on both – so 50/50. Your Passion: Feeling fulfilled by surrounding myself with things that matter and making other people happy (when I can…). Giving or getting presents: I’m not big on presents – but giving, always. Favorite Day: Any day I can get a bit of a lie-in, which isn’t often. Favorite Flowers: Roses, especially the old varieties that have a wonderful perfume.
In contrast, my fun days with little Bill included digging up the garden several times over and filling up a watering can with soil, then tipping it back out. Just for the fun of it. It was nice to enjoy the sunshine and whilst it wasn’t ‘hot’, it wasn’t unpleasant being out in the air and wrapped up warmly. A few games of kicking a football around the garden and then back indoors to get out ‘Bob-Bob’ (Bob the builder) toys. We assembled at least half a dozen different train layouts for Thomas The Tank and numerous building block towers that were knocked down within seconds. Sort of puts the rushing around I do into perspective. Simple pleasures are the best!
I had a fab day out with my brother buying furniture for the lovely little cottage he’s been renovating. We filled half a van within about an hour, which is pretty good going. Oak framed mirrors, stools for the new kitchen, oak side tables and some lovely garden containers. Then off to check out scatter cushions for the new sofas that are arriving in a few days. Of course, with browsing, travelling and a great pub lunch it was a whole day, but we had fun. That’s what put me in the mood for thinking about a new project of our own… seems Lawrence has now caught the moving bug too (although we LOVE Byre Cottage and have only just finished renovating it…) but we’re viewing some properties this coming weekend. So who knows?
I hope your week was fun, productive and full of the joys of spring too!
